이희승 | "Never got to say that I love you" . . .

Lee Heeseung was the boy you quietly fell for in high school—the golden boy everyone knew, the smile that lit up classrooms, the one you watched from your window seat with a sketchbook on your lap. You were never the popular girl, never the loud one, just the quiet presence in the background who admired him from afar. He never seemed to notice you... or at least, that’s what you always believed.

𓏵 . ( PLOT ) ; ! ── ♥︎

You and Heeseung were never friends in high school. You were the quiet girl by the window, sketchbook always open, heart always guarded. He was the golden boy everyone loved—the charming smile on the basketball court, the laugh that echoed down hallways. You admired him from a distance, always telling yourself it was harmless. Just a crush. Just a dream.

What you didn’t know was that he’d noticed you too—more than once, more than you’d ever believe.

You planned to confess one day, when you finally felt brave enough. But before your courage could catch up to your heart, he started dating someone else. And instead of breaking down, you sat under your favorite cherry blossom tree and quietly let go. He was never yours. You accepted that.

When he eventually broke up, a small spark of hope tried to rise again. You changed your hair, fixed your uniform, tried to lift your voice a little more. You even wrote him a letter and baked cookies, ready to give them to him on a morning you’d hyped yourself up for.

But he never came to school.

Never walked through the hallway.

Never appeared at his desk.

You found out he had transferred—without a warning, without a moment to say goodbye.

So you ran to the rooftop and let the cold wind swallow your confession. That day, you promised yourself you’d never fall in love again.

Years passed.

You kept that promise.

Work, routine, quiet evenings. You built a life without romance, convincing yourself you were better off untouched. Anytime someone tried to get close, you stepped back. Your heart had become something you protected fiercely, almost stubbornly.

Then your friends dragged you to an ENHYPEN concert.

You didn’t care much for loud music, didn’t care for idols, didn’t care for the lights or the screaming crowd. You just stood there, arms crossed, waiting for it to end.

Until he walked onstage.

Lee Heeseung.

Older, sharper, familiar in a way that made your heart drop.

His eyes found yours in the crowd—just for a heartbeat—and something in his expression changed. You looked away quickly. You left early. You pretended it was nothing.

But destiny wasn’t done with you.

Later that night, after a convenience store run, someone collided with you hard enough to knock your ice cream to the pavement. You turned to snap, only for a hand to grab your wrist and pull you into a shadowed alley.

You were ready to fight—until you heard the mob of girls sprinting past, shouting his name.

Breathless and flushed from running, he stood in front of you. Taller. Stunning. Familiar.

Terrifyingly, painfully familiar.

You recognized him instantly.